


Impacted

by NYWCgirl



Category: White Collar
Genre: Angst, Bombs, Car Accidents, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-02-28
Packaged: 2018-09-27 11:11:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10017203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: Neal and Peter are attacked by the baddie of the week.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is inspired by a pic from the series Lucifer where Tim De Kay played a mad scientist. Kanarek13 and I thought this was a classic for Peter saving Neal or trying to.

Peter groans while opening his eyes.

What happened?

He takes a moment to think and then it all comes back.

The explosion.

Neal and he were driving to arrest Vincent Heineman. They were bickering over the radio channel, when, wait… Neal was with him in the car.

“Neal?”

Peter turns his head slowly towards the passenger seat and there is Neal. It is only now that Peter realizes they are hanging upside down and the only thing that holds them like this are their seatbelts. Everything hurts, but they need to get out of the car.

Peter shakes Neal, but he is completely unresponsive. Blood is slowly trickling across his face, so Neal probably hit his head when the car flipped. Peter hopes it is something that innocent and nothing life threatening. He decides it is better to get out of the car and call help. He clicks open his seatbelt and realizes too late that he underestimated gravity. He lets out a groan when he hits the roof of the car. He takes a couple of breaths to steady himself.

He can hear a car stop in the vicinity and he crawls out. He scans his surroundings to ask for help when he notices the car that stopped. The men getting out are Heineman´s men. Peter quickly limps to Neal´s side of the car and ducks down, while taking out his gun.

“Neal? Come on buddy, wake up.”

While he crouches next to Neal, he does his best to keep track of the men. He shakes Neal more vigorously and finally gets a moan.

“Neal? You need to wake up. The car is on fire and he bad guys are waiting for us.”

“Wh’t h’ppened?” Neal slurs.

“We were in a car accident, but Heineman´s men are here.”

“Who?”

Peter frowns. “Don´t worry about that, just try to get out of the car.” He can hear Neal trying to shift and fumbling inside the wreckage.

“I can´t”

Panic is evident in Neal´s voice.

“Just unbuckle the seatbelt and brace yourself.”

“”My leg is stuck.”

Peter curses.

“Do you still have your phone?”

He can hear Neal feel for it on the car roof. He checks the car bottom that is burning. It is getting really hot. He has been so focused on the fire and Heineman´s men that he only now realizes that Neal is quiet.

“Neal?”

Peter crouches deeper and peers into the car. Neal is unconscious again, but the phone is under his slack hand. Before Peter can call 911, he can hear sirens approaching. The closer they come, the more anxious Heineman´s men become. They decide to retreat to fight another day and Peter let´s out a breath he has been holding. He was no match for them if it came to a standoff.

Peter starts tugging at Neal´s unresponsive body. He doesn´t feel the blisters forming on his hands when he touches the scorching hot car. He is suddenly pulled away and fights the hands that are restraining him from helping Neal.

“Calm down mister, we are here to help your friend. Let my men work.”

A firefighter holds a blanket around Neal while his colleagues extinguish the car. Once the fire is out, the clear sign is given to the EMT´s, who move in with their gear.

“What I his name?” the EMT crouching down next to Neal asks over his shoulder.

“Neal, his name is Neal. Is he alright? He said he was stuck with his leg.”

“Give me a moment, OK? Let Joe look at your hands. I will keep you up to date.”

One of the firefighters helps Peter up and to one of the ambulance. The firefighter helps to cool his hands while he keeps rubbernecking to see what they are doing with the car. He can see that Neal is now equipped with a neck brace. IV´s are attached to his right hand and the EMT is talking to the firefighters.

“What is going on?” he asks the EMT who is still holding the cold packs to his hands.

“They are probably discussing how they can extract your friend.”

“He is my partner.” Peter says distracted.

“You are cops?”

“FBI.”

“I´ll go ask how your partner is doing.” The firefighter tells Peter.

The longer Peter waits, the more adrenaline fades and his hands start to ache fiercely.

The firefighter comes jogging back.

“Neal is doing well, all things considering. He woke up but Patrick, the EMT that is with him, thought it best to administer pain killers, so he is not in any pain right now. Oddly enough he was singing, he has a great voice.”

Peter smiles. “They must have given him the good stuff.”

“Yeah, but I want to start you on an IV as well. You look like you can use some relief as well.”

Peter nods. He hates to admit it, but his hands hurt badly.

The men seem to have reached an agreement. The fire chief walks over.

“My name is Mark. We decided to lift the car so the strain on Neal will be as low as possible as we work. A crane is coming over as we speak, so we can turn the car.”

“Can´t you get him out?”

“Not at the moment, his leg is trapped and we don´t want to risk him to get hurt more by the evacuation.”

“How is he doing?”

“The pain meds hit him pretty hard, so he is happily babbling with my men. I don´t think he is fully aware of the situation.”

“The babbling sounds like him. Take care of my partner, will you?”

“Like he was one of my men. I promise.”

The crane arrives and the men prepare the car to be lifted. Again the heavy blanket is placed over Neal and secured in place, so he won´t get hurt by glass or other sharp pieces.

The whole operation is done with precision and professionalism. Peter can hear Neal cry out when the car is turned, he wants to go to Neal, but is held back by Joe.

“He´ll be alright, let them work.”

Peter nods, but his anxiety is obvious.

“Look, Patrick is taking care of him. They are talking so Neal is conscious.”

Peter can see that the EMT is working swiftly and Neal seems to be conscious. But Peter can also see how pale Neal is. The firefighters work swiftly and a couple of cuts with the jaws of life later, Neal is lifted on a back board and carried to the waiting ambulance.

“I want to drive with him, he is still in danger.”

“OK, scoot over and sit down in that seat.”

Joe calls out to bring Neal to his ambulance. Peter does as he is told while Neal is strapped on the gurney. Peter swallows when he sees how pale Neal is, this close, it is even more pronounced. Neal´s leg is immobilized, but Peter can´t stop staring at it. The toes and parts he can see are blue. But there isn´t much time to ponder over it, because Neal moans while his eyes flutter.

“Neal?” You are safe, I am here.”

“Peter?” Neal slurs without opening his eyes.

“Yes, I am here.”

“Am I drugged?”

Peter laughs, the question sounding so innocent. “Yeah buddy, they gave you the really good stuff. How are you feeling?”

“I was stuck, Peter. But this big fire fighter came to rescue me.” Neal states in a dreamy voice.

“Yeah, he sure did.”

“I must hurt pretty bad if they drugged me.”

“Yeah, you are, but you will be OK.”

The ambulance pulls up at the ambulance bay at Lennox Hill. Neal´s gurney is pulled out and he is whisked away. Peter is helped in a wheelchair and wheeled inside.

The moment they start to work on his hands and arms, the pain really hits him. It must show on his face, because a nurse ups the pain medication. He can feel them entering his system, because he gets this sort of floaty feeling. He loses pieces of time and then he wakes in a bed. El is sitting next to his bed.

“Hey.”

“Hey hon.”

“How are you feeling?”

“OK, I guess. How is Neal?”

“They admitted him to the ICU to monitor his leg. They mentioned compartment syndrome.”

“Will he lose the leg?”

“They did surgery on the leg to relieve the pressure. The doctor seems hopeful.”

“Can we go see him?”

“I will call someone to check you out.”

Elizabeth pushes the call button and a nurse walks in, sanitizing her hands at the door.

“Good to see you are feeling better.”

“Can I go see my partner?”

“I wouldn´t know why not as long as you use the wheelchair and let me first check your vitals.”

Peter nods his agreement, anything to see Neal.

The nurse works efficiently and after the checkup, she asks about his pain. She adjusts the IV and then wheels in his chariot. She explains how to get to the ICU while hanging the IV bags on the wheelchair.

When they leave the room, Peter can see a Marshall sitting outside his room. He greets him.

“Diana took care of your and Neal´s protection. She said you might still be in danger.”

Peter nods while Elizabeth pushes Peter towards the ICU where Peter pleads his case to visit Neal. The nurses understand his need to see his partner and they allow them in for a short visit.

A nurse shows the couple Neal´s room, which is more a glass cubicle that is monitored from the large nurses’ desk. There is not enough room for the wheelchair, so Peter is helped out of it by Elizabeth and the Marshall that guards Neal. He takes Neal ´s hand in his. He seems to be asleep, but Peter guesses it is the drugs they have him on.

“Hey Neal, you are safe. We are here.”

Neal stirs and Peter waist for Neal to open his eyes, but nothing happens. A nurse walks in to change one of the empty IV bags.

“Is he going to be alright?”

“The doctor will be in soon, but we will have to wait and see. Crush injuries are always hard to predict.”

“Can he hear us?”

“He is quite heavily sedated, but it can never harm to hear familiar voices. Now if you will excuse me, just push the call button if you need anything, but we are monitoring Neal closely.”

“Thank you.” Elizabeth smiles.

Peter takes a seat in the chair another nurse brought in. Neal moans, stirs but doesn´t really wakes up.

The duty nurse walks in informing that they need to leave. Peter wants to protest but El nods to the nurse and gets up.

“You need your rest Peter, so Let´s go back to your room.”

 

* *  *

 

A couple of hours later Peter is discharged. Before they leave, they walk back to the ICU.

“Oh hi, back to visit your friend? He has been asking for you.”

“He is awake? How is he doing?”

“Very good, we will be moving him to a lower care room any minute. If you wait, you can visit him. Visiting hours at the other ward are more flexible.”

“Thank you, can we see him now?”

“Sure, go in.” The nurse whispers, looking over her shoulder to see if there is a doctor.

Peter slowly walks in and smiles when he sees Neal awake.

“Hey.”

“Peter!” Neal gives him a dopy smile.

“How are you feeling?”

Neal has trouble focusing his eyes, but eventually gets there.

“Doped. What happened?”

“We were ambushed by Heineman´s men. They used a bomb or a missile or something. I don´t know, but the car flipped over and you were trapped.” Peter doesn´t look at Neal when he recalls the events, but when he looks up, he can see Neal´s eyes are closed. His breathing has picked up.”

“Are you in pain?”

“It´s OK, I…”

“You remember. It´s OK. We are safe, there is a guard at the door. Diana and Jones are hassling the ERT guys as we speak.”

“That´s good.”

“Did the doctor explain your injuries.”

“Yeah, it is too soon to tell. He…”

A nurse and a someone from patient logistics enter the room.

“We are ready to transport you to the other room, mister Caffrey.”

Neal nods. Peter and El are asked to wait outside.

The equipment around Neal´s bed is disconnected. IV´s readjusted and then they are on their way. The bed is pushed through corridors and elevators and then they arrive at Neal´s temporary home. The bed is positioned and the man says goodbye. A new nurse arrives introducing herself as Barbara. She looks a bit in surprise at all the people accompanying Neal.

“Can you tell me your name and birth date?”

“Neal answers and she checks it with the paperwork in his medical file.

“OK, that seems to be in order. Do you want something to eat or drink?”

“I´m good.´”

But everyone in the room can see how pale Neal is.

“I can get you some strawberry yoghurt?”

Neal considers it and then nods.

“Thank you.”

“We are going to have to leave soon, because visiting hours are over, but we will be back tomorrow morning, OK?”

“El, make sure Peter rests, OK? ´m fine.”

“I will.” Elizabeth gives Neal a peck on the cheek before leaving the room.

“Is there anything you need?”

“Maybe my sketchbook and tablet?”

“Sure, we will pick them up and bring them over tomorrow.”

“Thanks Peter.”

“No problem.”

“No,… I mean… for staying with me.”

“It is nothing you wouldn´t have done for me.”

Neal nods and smiles;

“Rest Peter, see you tomorrow.”

“You too buddy.”

Neal closes his eyes. He can hear the sounds dying down in the corridors. The hospital is preparing for the night. After the nightshift starts, the lights are dimmed or switched off and Neal settles.

As a person who normally sleeps on his stomach, he can´t sleep on his back, and his leg prevents him from turning over. He is just about to push the call button when an orderly enters. Neal´s face lights up.

“Hey Mozz.”

“Bonsoir, mon frère. Care for some company?”

“Yeah, I can use the company.”

“I brought a laptop so we can watch movies or we can play a game of chess.”

Considering Mozzie´s choice of movies, the decision should be easy.

“I´m sorry, but I won´t be up to intellectual challenges with these drugs washing through my system.” Neal waves vaguely to his IV´s, “but I would like to hear how you got past the Marshall.”

 


End file.
